Back Into the Games
by GirlHunterOnFire
Summary: Katniss and Peeta are still trying to recover from the damage all that's happened in the rebellion has caused, but something bad happens to Peeta leaving Katniss alone for a little bit to face something dangerous, and that danger is back in the 74th Hunger Games arena.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Peeta, I'm back! Haymitch sends his love and affection!" I yell into the empty air. Yes so maybe Haymitch was right and my actions were irrational, but what was I supposed to do? Peeta's been keeping secrets lately, and if he really wanted to repair what Snow damaged he has a funny way of showing it.

I look down at the half empty glass bottle of white liquor I swiped from Haymitch, gripped tight in my hands. Why had we fought? Why has Haymitch been the one I seek wisdom and comfort from when it should obviously be Peeta? Peeta, so damaged and changed. My baker, my star-crossed lover, the boy with the bread.

The sound of an animal dying breaks into my thoughts and I look down and find an ugly smashed furry orange face staring up at me. I'm about to threaten it when I remember that this cats ownership and protectiveness has been handed over to me. I kneel down, "Here Buttercup," he hisses softly and then trots toward me. I pick him up and head down the hall into the living space and find myself sitting in front of the fire place stroking the tabby cats head thinking about the early morning.

It wasn't a new nightmare. I was just surprised to be having one. The tribute mutts were after me and Peeta back in the arena. We were running towards the Cornucopia which seemed so close but never got any closer. Any trees around us would start oozing blood until they would be completely covered in it. The blood would find its way to the ground and turn into a wispy thick fog encircling the mutts disintegrating them as it moves in a path with tendrils reaching for me and Peeta. My breath at this point has become labored and Peeta has fallen behind because of his leg. The blood go is getting closer and I hear my name being screamed at me from all directions, in pain, in hisses, in outrage, and in adoration. The Cornucopia is just ahead and I've reached and almost start to climb when I hear a sharp cry from behind. I turn and see Peeta, "They must have their victor." He says. And then the blood fog consumes him and the cannon fires.

I had woken up sweating. Peeta wasn't there and I had realized the loud cannon sound had not just happened in my nightmare. Fear gripped me and after untangling myself from the covers I raced down the steps. The kitchen light was on, and someone was inside it. I walked the rest of the way using my hunter tread and when I reached the doorway I stopped. Peeta was at the kitchen table bent over something completely absorbed. I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"Peeta?" I asked softly. Peeta jumps and falls out of his chair knocking it over. He sits on the floor for a moment stunned and I glimpse what he was working on, but immediately my attention is turned back to him.

"Don't do that!" he snaps as he gets up and picks up his chair and slams it down. I'm shocked and jump back. Peeta's anger recedes slightly and he takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Just don't do that."

"I heard a loud bang and you weren't there, what are you doing up so late Peeta?" He kept my gaze then looked back to the table; I could tell now what it was. It was an unfinished basket. Why is he weaving a basket? "Peeta, you need to sleep." Peeta turns back to the basket. I bite my lip and take a step toward him, knowing he's made up his mind he's staying up, and I know I can't go back to sleep, not without him. "Peeta?" He's started weaving again but he grunts acknowledgment. "Do you want me to stay?" I pause he says nothing. "Do you want me to go?" Nothing. "Because I don't want to." I whisper remembering the nightmare.

"Nothing's holding you here Katniss, if you want to leave, leave." My head snaps up.

"What?"

"You obviously don't want to be here, so go. Go back to bed." What? Of course I want to be here!

"I can't sleep. I think I'll just go for a walk, or see if Haymitch needs any more liquor."

Peeta stops for a second and looks up with a small smile. "Give my best to Haymitch."

"I will." I say crestfallen and before anything else can happen I turn on my heels and run down the hall and rush out the door into the crisp night air desperate to get out. My first instinct is to head to the woods, but that would mean going by the meadow and it's still not recovered from being dug up and used as the grave for the dead of District 12 so at night it would be eerily unbearable. So the woods were out. I told Peeta I'd go check on Haymitch, but he's probably to drunk or passed out to acknowledge anything. I slow at the end of the victor village's road and look back at the house. I can see the glow of the kitchen light. What just happened? Something tells me some of that Peeta, was Hijacked Peeta. Suddenly I realize I'm moving again, towards Haymitch's. I don't know what I expect to find there, but I here I am, on his porch knocking and yelling his name. Then I wait and after a little while I hear stumbling and cursing and then the door opens and I find myself staring at a drunk, probably was asleep, bloodshot eyed, scowling, untidy Haymitch, bottle in hand.

"Is your goal trying to wake up the whole damn District sweetheart?" he snaps taking a swig and scowling.

"No, just you, or were you not sleeping?" I say noting the bottle.

"I was." He says defensively. "What do you want sweetheart?"

"Peeta sends his love and affection." I say.

"Ah, Peeta, I always loved that boy." Drinks. "Is that all."

"I was out and I came to see if you needed more liquor." Haymitch stops and looks at me. Even in his drunken state I know he sees through me.

"No, I don't." He says, then as an afterthought. "You should be home in bed Katniss." I shake my head and a cold breeze nips at my bare skin causing me to shiver involuntary. Haymitch rolls his eyes and carefully steps back so as not to fall. "Get in." I hesitate. Haymitch tips the bottle up and stands and waits. I scowl at him and stomp past him into the dim littered hall. Haymitch slams the door behind me and stumbles past me into the kitchen. All victor houses are laid out the same, the only thing that makes this one Haymitch's is the mess, which Gale's mother isn't here to clean up anymore. Gale. Who doesn't talk to me, or see me, has cut me from his life. The woods sometimes send me into a crying fit because of him, but that still doesn't stop me from hunting. Often I'd come back from a hunt and find Peeta waiting to comfort me; often I'd find him needing a short game of Real or Not Real.

"Having troubles in paradise sweetheart?" Haymitch asks cutting into my thoughts as he plops down a fresh bottle and pops the top. Mine and Peeta's lives are far from paradise and he knows it and this almost is just enough to make me leave when he looks up apologetically and says quickly. "I am." I'm brought up short. Haymitch? Haymitch in love? Somehow thinking Haymitch has a love life is almost as impossible as Snow coming back from the dead. "Effie left for the Capitol two days ago without a word."

Effie? Effie and Haymitch? Sure Effie's been around a lot lately, but I just thought she was trying to keep Haymitch from drinking himself to death, which I'm sure was her primary intention. He'd been sobering up and we'd known it was her doing, I didn't like it, I always thought Haymitch was in better moods drunk, but I never put two and two together.

Haymitch reached behind him and grabbed a clean looking glass and placed it beside the bottle and poured neatly half the bottle into it, then he just looked at it like he was deciding whether to drink it or not.

"Seriously, shouldn't you be with Peeta?"

"I told him I was going for a walk and to check on you." He looks up.

"That's not an answer sweetheart," he says.

I lock eyes with Haymitch and know if there was anyone left, because sadly he is the only one left, it's him to talk to.

"Peeta and I fought, or at least he kicked me out for the moment. But I think it was the other Peeta because he was really angry for no reason. All I'd ask was what had made that loud noise and what he was doing up so late. Then he took something I said the wrong way Haymitch and told me to leave. He was the other Peeta completely until I mentioned you and for a second he was Peeta again." The whole I talked Haymitch never took a drink and after I finished he didn't say a word. I wondered if he was trying to make sense of what I said like I was. I waited though, but he just sat there. Anger boiled in me and I picked up the bottle and shoved it towards him making it tip and almost spill. He caught as it slid. "Get a drink in your hand you look like a ridiculous idiot without it!" I snap. Haymitch blinks at the bottle in his hand and then picks it up and drinks from it.

"Thanks sweetheart." I start to reach for the glass of already poured white liquor but Haymitch is already dragging it back towards him. "What do you think you're doing sweetheart?" I scowl at him daring him to challenge me and he smiles. "You wanna know my opinion?"

"Not really."  
"You're running just like you've always done. Only not sure why you chose to run to the drunk." He takes another drink.

"Give me the glass Haymitch."

"Sorry sweetheart, you can't drink your problems away, look at me, I'm still stuck with you." Even though Haymitch was just joking, it hurt.

"I'm sorry we burden you."

He rolls his eyes. "Katniss, you and Peeta have been through hell and back, one stupid fight should not send you running, it was irrational," he pauses. "Unless there's more?" He asks raising an eyebrow.

I hesitate. Should I tell him about Peeta, about the nightmare, the noise and the basket? Maybe just about Peeta.

"I'm worried about Peeta. I think he's slipping." Haymitch, about to take a drink, lowers the bottle from his lips and sets it down giving his full attention to me.

"Explain yourself Katniss. Slipping how?"

"Haymitch," a lump's formed in my throat and I have to clear it to continue. "I'm finding it harder each time to bring him back from his hijack attacks. Last time I had to use the dart Dr. Aurelius gave me. Haymitch, I'm worried that-I'm worried I won't be able to bring him back next time." I've caught Haymitch off guard opening up to him without him having to drag anything out of me, but he recovers quickly and he comes around the table and despite my protests smothers me in his drunken stench.

"Don't worry Katniss, you and I made a deal remember? As far as I'm concerned that deal isn't over till Peeta's back." And Haymitch continued to hold me and if it wasn't for the smell of white liquor and an unwashed human with the smell of vomit, I could almost imagine myself in my dad's arms, as weird as that seemed. "Go home, talk to Peeta and get some rest sweetheart, we'll talk more tomorrow." Haymitch says softly. Then Haymitch does something Haymitch never does, he kisses the top of my head then releases me, but I am too stunned to move. Haymitch moves back to the table and sits down and looks at me picking up the glass. "The doors down the hall sweetheart." He says snapping me back. And just out of spite I reach out and swipe the bottle off the table just keeping it out of his reach as he tries to snatch it back and dash back down the hall tripping and almost falling twice, making it out the door, hearing Haymitch's call "That one's half empty anyways!" and running straight for home.

Buttercup mews and I look down questioningly. But the cat just sits there so I look above the fireplace at my sleek black bow and quiver of arrows. My Mockingjay weapons. Betee had them sent to me a week ago and I'd come home to find them mounted on the wall by Peeta. It had the three types of arrows still in it, but in a letter Bette sent he said he'd given it some, upgrades. He said in a small compartment on the side are six arrows, the tips filled with the medicine for Peeta. Betee wrote that the quiver's alive now to, so it'll know when I need those arrows; I can also just say 'nightlock.' This makes me weary about ever using those six arrows, because what if it contains not just Peeta's medicine, but liquid nightlock as well?

Buttercup springs out of my lap and I immediately turn and find Peeta. Buttercup hisses and arches his back.

I scramble to my feet. "Peeta?" I ask tentively. He looks strangely pale.

"Yeah Katniss it's me." And I can tell just by the soft gentle tone of his voice it is. He stands there awkwardly and Buttercup continues to hiss like he's never seen him before, because even Buttercup missed the old Peeta.

"Oh shut up you stupid cat, it's Peeta!" I say when Buttercup continues to hiss. He stops and slumps away. I would have run to Peeta and threw my arms around him and never let him go, but I was afraid any quick movement would bring the other Peeta back.

"Drinking's bad for you Katniss." Peeta says noting the bottle in my hand. I look down at it. I had completely forgotten it was there.

"I never drank it." I turn and place it gently on the fireplace. When I turn back Peeta's there.

"Good. One Haymitch is enough." He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. Peeta's natural bakery smell surrounds me and I take a deep breath of it.

"Katniss, you should be asleep, it's late."

"I know, but you weren't there." I say quietly. No need to mention the nightmare of course.

"Katniss, I'm sorry for what I said."  
"I know."  
"Katniss, let's go to bed, I feel light headed." And that's when I feel the wet sticky mess, under my hand, and feel it drip onto it and Peeta stumbles and slumps and I just catch him before he hits the floor.

"Peeta!" I scream. Because I can see the back of his head now, and it's bleeding.

"Katniss my head hurts." He groans and starts to close his eyes and without thinking I slap his face, hard, and they flitter back open.

"Don't you close those eyes, don't you dare close them!" I tell him fiercely. No wonder my Peeta's back. He's in pain. I have to get help somehow. Buttercup came back when I yelled and he's gone into a hissing fit and won't even come near me and Peeta. I look to the table that holds the phone. Haymitch had his reinstalled after Effie insisted it, but how much would he actually understand? Would he still even be awake? I stretched out and grasped the phone in a shaky bloody hand and I dialed to Haymitch.

"Peeta!" I scream when I notice he's closing his eyes again. Peeta flinches and struggles but opens his eyes.

"What?" Haymitch snaps.

My voice shakes, "Haymitch, it's Peeta."

I don't know how bad I sounded but it was enough not to have to explain.

"I'll be over there in a second." Then the line went dead. I dropped the phone and turned my attention to Peeta. The back of his shirt was completely soaked. How had I not noticed it? Smelled it? Most of it was already dried. Peeta was shivering violently, or was that me shaking? I had to try to stop the blood? I can't leave him, he'll go to sleep for sure, and with a head wound, he might not wake up. Peeta's seen me in my undergarments and unfortunately so has Haymitch and the whole of Panem. So without further thought I take off my shirt and press it to the back of his head and lay him on the ground to put more pressure to it.

What happened? I don't remember seeing blood when I saw Peeta in the kitchen except, yes, I did see it. It was barley there, not even Peeta noticed. But that was before he fell. That means, whatever had made that cannon might somehow be related to this.

"It's cold Katniss." Peeta whispers. I go to the sofa and grab the blanket off of it and come back and lay it on him. His eyes were starting to close. I slap him and scream at him but it does little. I could see the fight leaving him and there was a small pool of blood flowing out from underneath his head. "Katniss," his voice was almost inaudible. "Be careful, Snow's mutt." His breath was becoming shallow.

"No! Peeta! Don't you leave me, you promised!" I hear the door slam open and through blurry vision I see Haymitch and someone else rushing towards me. I'm shaking uncontrollably.

Haymitch comes to me and kneels down and drapes his arm around me. "It's ok sweetheart, he'll be ok." Haymitch nods to the person.

The person Haymitch brought with him goes to work on Peeta and Peeta suddenly cries out in pain. The feeling that I'd had when I'd gotten out of the arena and saw the doctors working on Peeta was back. This person was just another threat.

"Stop!" I lunged forward but Haymitch clumsily catches me and pulls me back and holds me.

"Easy sweetheart." But I was struggling to free myself from his grasp to get to Peeta who was on the ground moaning in pain.

"Get her out Haymitch." That voice. That cold voice. My body goes still and ice creeps up my spine and runs through my veins and Haymitch drags me backwards.

"Gale."

He looks up and gives me a smile without warmth. "Hey Catnip." Then he continues tending Peeta. "Haymitch get her out of the room, I need to talk to you."

Anger flares up, "No. There isn't time to talk, Peeta's dying!" I yell.

"Katniss." Peeta whispers. After giving both a hard look I break Haymitch's hold and crawl to Peeta and stroke his hair.

"I'm here." I say taking his hand.

Gale and Haymitch move off to my left to what they think will be a safe distance. But thanks to the Capitol my left ear can hear more than it should.

"It looks like someone hit him from behind. His skull looks fractured. I don't think he's going to make it." My hand freezes in mid stroke.

"Alright Gale, don't sugarcoat it for me, I'm a big boy." Haymitch says heavily with sarcasm.

Gale sighs, "Something similar happened to one of my guys in Two. He didn't make it because we didn't get him to a hovercraft and to the Capitol in time. Peeta has no chance this far away in Twelve. He's going to die."

Die? It's like the first few weeks of being in District 13 is back. I feel like knocking myself out, or running to the supply closet. _My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. The Capitol hates me. Peeta is… Peeta is_-I can't breathe and when I open my eyes I'm in a corner curled up, Gale and Haymitch hovering over me calling my name.

I stand up, they back up, and I take a deep breath. "I'm fine. Go take care of Peeta."

"Go upstairs and put a shirt on Catnip." Gale counteracts but I ignore him.

"Haymitch, you should try and call Effie, see if you can't get a hovercraft out here." Gale and Haymitch exchange a look.

"Katniss-" Haymitch starts.

"No!" I yell cutting him off, "We made a deal Haymitch." I say staring him down. After a few painful heartbeats he moves off towards the phone. I move behind Gale and Peeta and take hold of his pale hand feeling so helpless. But no, I'm not going to lose him again, I refuse to. I'm not losing the boy with the bread. Haymitch is right. We've been through hell and back and he is not dying on me now.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. "I couldn't get hold of Effie," My heart sinks. "But I called the transportation center and they say a hovercraft is already headed to District 12, and with a transmission, can get it here within an hour or less sweetheart." He stares at Peeta in silence for a moment. "Peeta's a fighter, he'll make it." I wanted to believe him, I wanted to run, but both seemed like slim hopes.

"I know." I say though. I feel Gale's eyes on me and I feel resentment rise, but I try to push it down. "So why are you back in District 12?" I ask avoiding looking at him.

"I came to check on my family." He pauses long enough to cause me to look up, but he's looking at Peeta. "And I came for your birthday Catnip."

Birthday? The word or concept seems alien after all that's gone on. The Rebellion, Peeta, Prim, Finnick, Cinna, Boggs, rebuilding District 12. The thought of celebrating me turning only eighteen just doesn't seem right.

"Course. I forget people still have those." Haymitch says resentfully. He walks away from me towards the fireplace and grabs the bottle I stole off of it. "Here's to you, if the Hunger Games still existed, never again after this year having to attend a reaping as a possible tribute." He drinks. "Not that you would be since you're a victor, but gives me a reason to drink." And he sets to work finishing the bottle.

Peeta's moans have grown softer and the pool of blood gradually bigger. He's going to make it; he's going to make it! I tell myself in a forceful believable tone. It's all I can do not to break down completely.

"Katniss?" Gale's voice cuts into my thought and I flinch.

"Have you checked on your family yet?"

"No."

"You should go check on them, let them know you're here." I say. I look up and Gale gets it, I still can't think of him without relating him to the cause of Prim's death.

"Ok, I'll be back to check on Peeta. If you leave before I make it back, then it was good seeing you Katniss." And I could tell he meant it.

"You to." And I wanted to mean it, but it came out sounding empty. Gale got up and nodded to Haymitch who was running a hand over my bow.

"Keep an eye on him." He tells me. "Goodbye Haymitch." Gale yells startling Haymitch to where he starts tripping over himself to turn around and falls into a chair. He looks over the edge of the arm and glares at Gale.

"Watch it." He growls. Then a little kinder but still surly, "See ya kid." I would have laughed but at that moment Peeta squeezed my hand and my eyes flashed to him. He was pale and sweating and his teeth were gritted together. His blue eyes looked at me in agony, pleading.

"Kill me." He whispers.

My voice is just as low. "Peeta, no. A hovercraft is-"

"Kill me." He says a little louder. Gale who had almost left the room stops. Peeta shakily reaches into his pocket and is too weak to bring it back out so I help him and when he opens his palm, he holds a tiny purple pill, nightlock.

"Peeta no!" I say and take the pill from him.

"I'm not going to-"

"If someone else says you aren't going to make it I will personally give them this nightlock pill!" Peeta opens his mouth to speak, "Excluding you."

"Gale," Peeta croaks.

Gale looks at Peeta sadly and shakes his head. "I'm already blamed for the murder of someone Katniss loved; I will not be blamed for two." And I feel pain rip through me. And words Haymitch had said about Peeta now can suddenly apply to Gale, I'm punishing him, over and over, for something that was out of his control. But was it? He made the bombs. My feelings still haven't sorted out.

"It's not murder, a favor." Peeta says.

"I owe you nothing!" Gale snaps.

"I kept her alive." Gale was glaring at Peeta.

If there was one thing in life to hate, it's owing people, and being from the Seam, we know about them all too well. And Peeta just hit the one favor Gale knows he hasn't repaid.

"Gale, if you-" I start.

Gale turns on me, "If I what Katniss?" He snaps at me. "Carry out your dying love's wish? Put him out of his misery? Help him? Touch him? Are you going to blame me if he dies to? Or am I pardoned?" I stare at Gale in stunned silence. "Didn't think so." He looks at Peeta. "I'm sorry, but I can't kill my friend." Huh, Gale and Peeta as friends. I would have never though that could happen.

"I understand," Peeta whispers. With that Gale turns on his heels and leaves.

"Quite the heartbreaker aren't-"

"Shut up Haymitch," I say and sit crossing my legs by Peeta, staring, waiting, because that's all that's left to do. Sit and wait and hope Peeta makes it, which even I know is a futile chance. But he keeps fighting, for me, and selfishly I'm keeping him, making him suffer. Tears start to roll down my cheek as I take a deep breath.

"Peeta, you can go to sleep now." His blue eyes which have been fighting to stay open look at me and a frown pulls at his white lips as he catches the double meaning.

"No."

"I'll sing to you." I say, and images from a different death come to mind. Rue. And I already know what's about to happen.

"Katniss, I'm not-" But as soon as I start to sing Deep in the Meadow, by the chorus his eyes have become heavy. "Katniss," he says as I continue to sing, but I don't stop. "I love you." And I reply with the ending of the chorus. By the second chorus his eyes have closed and his breathing has become shallow. Tears spill over and my voice shakes as I finish the song then lean down and kiss his forehead gently.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When I look buck up from Peeta, I am surprised to find a group of people standing a distance away. I was even more surprised at the people that made up the group. Effie, my prep team, Plutarch, two medics, and what really caught me off guard, my mother. The medics pushed past the group carrying a black stretcher between them and lay it on the ground beside Peeta and one checks his pulse. They nod to each other and straighten the stretcher then position themselves to lift Peeta. They count to three and lift him onto it. I keep hold of his hand as they lift the stretcher and start back towards the through the group.

"Haymitch! I leave for two days to plan a party and you're already back to your old drinking habits." Effie's voice is sharp.

The medics continue down the hall and I barely hear Haymitch's response as we head out the door, "Well you left for no reason, thought I'd done something. And in light of the current predicament, yes I thought I'd have a drink or two."

Out in the cold air I could just see the sun beginning to rise over the hovercraft that waited at the end of the victor village road leading into town.

Walking onto the hovercraft I felt like I might breakdown at a moments notice. The group followed us silently except for Effie and Haymitch who continued to banter each other.

"Loosen your corset, have a drink!" Haymitch says.

"Have a drink?" Effie asks in an unbelieving tone after we've boarded the hovercraft. "Haymitch if you keep drinking like this you won't live to see another sunrise! 'Have a drink,' Hah! That's just like saying 'Here have some Nightlock!" she says going into a high pitched voice.

"Effie!" Haymitch and I snap. Effie's eyes widen and she takes a step back. After a moment she regains her normal cool composure and avoids eye contact with anyone. We stand in the hangar bay and wait.

"I'm sorry." She says after a little bit. "But if I don't focus on something, I fear I'll cry." And that would just be terrible. But harping on Haymitch hadn't been smart, he'd had a lot of criticism in his time, but coming from Effie it was different I could tell, he actually cared what she said.

"I'm going to see what's taking the pilot's so damn long." Haymitch says. The medics start to move Peeta again and they move to a room just off a hall of the hangar bay with machines and wires, the same he went into after the games.

The tallest medic turns to me, "You're going to have to leave." I ignore him. That is until he places his hand lightly on my shoulder. "Miss Everdeen, you're going to have to leave." He says a little more firmly. I do not trust my boy with the bread to be here alone. So I stayed, ignoring them. Out of the corner of my eye I see him nod to the other medic and he pries my hand from Peeta's and in a swift motion they pick me up and began carrying me away. I start thrashing and screaming, fighting to break free. But they have to firm a grip. Once outside the room they set me down in the midst of the group that had gathered, my mother standing in the front, and run back to the room and shut the door before I make it back inside. And then a thought hits me. I run to my mother.

"You have to let them do their-" she starts.

"Will you go help them?" I ask cutter her off.

"What?" her expression is confused and worn.

"Will you go in there and help them with Peeta?"

She looks at me a moment then to the room through the glass door, then cups my face gently. "I'll do my best Katniss." Then she moves around me and knocks on the glass. One of the medics appears and has a short conversation and lets her in. I feel gratitude towards my mother. For the first time I feel Peeta is in good hands, and maybe he has a chance. That chance though could have been doubled if my mother had her little helper… I move to the doorway and lean against the wall and look in, and watch them start hooking Peeta up to the machines, but eventually I just slide down not able to watch anymore.

Haymitch comes back, but I don't get up.

"Plutarch, do you know how to fly a hovercraft?"

"Yes." He says look at Haymitch with a questionable look.

"Good. The pilot's dead, blow to the back of the head. Looks exactly like Peeta's wound, but he was more unfortunate, guess he didn't fight back." Peeta's warning suddenly echoes in my mind, _be careful, Snow's mutt_. But these are human attacks. Yet Peeta's hijack was human. I stand up slowly as my mind tries to wrap around the realization of what must have happened to Peeta, what his warning means.

"Take off and lower the ladder, I've got to get something." I say and for a moment some communication passes between me and Haymitch and I give him an I'll-tell-you-later-look. He nods to me.

"Hurry sweetheart." I nod and dash back out of the hallway and hanger bay towards the house. Barely stopping to open the front door I run into the living room, careful to go around the pool of blood and to the fireplace where I grab the quiver and sling it over my head, my Mockingjay pin is pinned to the strap. I reach up and grasp my bow.

"Hello." I say to it and it purrs to live humming in my hand, the quiver on my back responding in the same manner. I start around the pool of blood and I'm just about to turn from it when I see the pill, untouched, unsmashed on the floor. I bend down and pick it up and put it in my pocket and take off out of the house. The hovercraft is already up in the air. I decide I can find new clothes on the hovercraft, my shirt is under Peeta's head covered in blood and my pants have blood spots on them.

I see the hovercraft lower ladder and I grab hold, the electric current freezing me to it as I'm lifted up inside. When the ladder unfreezes me, Haymitch is there with a blanket that he puts immediately around my shoulders, covering my arrows.

"Katniss," he starts in a grave tone. "Peeta died." If Haymitch wouldn't have been there I probably would have fallen, maybe even right back out of the hovercrafts door that's just closing.

"I want to see him." I say numbly.

We walk down the hallway. I am numb. The only sense that there is a world left is Haymitch, who's trying to keep me upright as we slowly make our way to the room. But when we get to the room, Effie, smiling and bubbly, steps in our way.

"Your mother is an absolute miracle worker!" she trills. Confused I push past her and the others that had come to the room. The monitors were not showing a flat line or making the sound of someone whose heart's just stopped forever.

"Capitol medics give up hope to easily." My mother says coming up beside me, staring at the screens. I'm startled by her but I don't jump.

"They didn't grow up in a place where that was something as valuable as life itself. I respond quietly. My mother's arm goes around me and she kisses the top of my head.

"I couldn't have saved him unless he fought to. That's twice in that boy's life he's died and come back." She looks at him. "He really loves you Katniss. I think-" her voice catches. She clears her throat and tries again. "I think your father would be proud of your decision. So am I." Hearing my mother speak of Peeta this way, then about my father when she never even went near any subject of him, I felt like I was standing by a stranger, by someone from the past. The time when my father was actually around.

"Can I see him?" My mother looks down at me and frowns.

"Yes, but it won't do any good I'm afraid. He's in a coma." My heart sinks. "You should get some sleep Katniss," she says noting the change in me. "I'll get you if anything changes."

"Ok," I say. But I still go to Peeta and kiss his forehead. "I love you," I whisper into his ear. Then as I leave I stop and lean close to my mother, "Watch them carefully," I whisper about the medics. She nods and I leave. The group has dispersed except for Haymitch.

"When you're rested you're going to spill to me your secret sweetheart."

"I can't rest with you demanding things from me," I counteract.

"Right this way." Haymitch says and leads me down the hallway and down another to a room and leaves.

The room has a small bed with a pillow and blanket and I immediately go to the bed, taking off the quiver and setting it and the bow at the ready by the bed. Then I strip off my pants, leaving me completely in my undergarments, and climb in. I looked at my blood stained arms and hands and wished I could strip off that to, but I would just have to wait and take a shower when I reached the Capitol.  
When I close my eyes and try to sleep, no nightmares com, just empty lonely darkness, which could be a nightmare in itself.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My arm was being shaken, bringing me out of my sleep. I could smell human waste.

"Up sweetheart, get dressed and ready to be welcomed by your adoring people," my eyes are half open and I watch Haymitch take a drink. He's still resting a hand on my arm when he looks back at me, "We're back in the Capitol." He says in a surly tone.

I want to slap Haymitch's hand off my shoulder and turn over and burry myself in the covers, but looking at Haymitch I could tell this was not his first drink, and this would just result in me dowsed in white liquor and him sprawled on top, so I waited till he half drunkenly made his way to the door and then I got up and grabbed the pile of clothes at the end of the bed. It took me a moment to register what I was holding, but when I did I dropped them as if they were a venomous snake and started to back away towards the corner when the door opened and the prep team came in. Venia in the lead sees the pile of clothes first and recognizes them and is stunned at first, but then turns on her heels and darts out of the room. Flavius and Octavia are more slow and just shrug at Venia's sudden need to leave and with smiles go to the pile and each pick up pieces of clothing, unfolding them. The natural color drains from Octavia as she holds up the tribute shirt and jacket and Octavia springs backwards yelping like he'd been burned by the belt and pants, flinging them away. I stand a good ten feet away, shaking in the corner I have backed myself into. Venia walks back in and sees Flavius still holding up the clothes and briskly walks towards him and rips them from his hands wadding them up.

"Stop flaunting them in front of her!" she snaps. Flavius comes to his senses and starts apologizing and I manage to get its fine out. I look to Venia for an explanation but she shakes her head, "Haymitch will tell you."

The clothes feel like acid to my skin going on and I give my prep team so much trouble because they're so afraid of my reaction to every bit of it. They don't clean up any of the blood, fix my nails, or even my eyebrows which I know Venia was itching to do. They simply dress me, undo my braid, redo it and send me out to Haymitch, whispering, "She almost looks like she's back in the Games." And with my Mockingjay pin back on my tribute jacket, I do. For a third time I feel I am going back into the arena.

When I get out to the hall and walk down to the open door with the smell of food rolling from it, I feel like the person I'm about to see will be Cinna, and our destination is not the grand Capitol, but the arena.

"Haymitch you better have a damn good reason for putting me back in these!" I say before I even really make it inside the room, but when I do I stop. Haymitch, standing, is accompanied by Plutarch.

"Easy sweetheart. Sit down, have some rolls and hot chocolate first." I could tell Haymitch felt uneasy at the sight of me in my tribute uniform again and was avoiding looking at me as much as possible. Plutarch, although a little uneasy was smiling and more able to look at me. I move to the table of food and sit down. I reach for a roll as Haymitch had suggested, not really caring for it. Before I can even take a bite Haymitch is speaking again.

"Ok Plutarch, tell her your bonehead idea." Haymitch says plopping into a seat and taking a drink.

"Now Haymitch, this is just as much yours as mine." Plutarch remarks taking an apple off the table, then suddenly as if a thought occurs to him he glances at me and smiles. "You wouldn't happen to be planning to shoot this out of my hand would you?" The idea is so ridiculous and funny, I have to laugh. Plutarch eases more into his chair.

"Don't, tempt her Plutarch," Haymitch says surly taking a drink.

I feel a little more eased with the comic relief when I turn to Haymitch, "Does Effie know you're still drinking?"

"Yes, and until this mess is over she understands I'll keep drinking." He turns to Plutarch. "Now tell her _your_ plan before _I_ shoot the apple. And trust me, I'm not a great aim, so the arrow might miss the apple and hit a better target." Plutarch frowns at Haymitch's threat and then good naturedly sets the apple down.

"Katniss. We are going to the Capitol," he says slowly. This isn't news. "We are going to drop Peeta off to be cared for." This is news. "Then we are taking you back to the 74th Hunger Games arena." My heart stops. Wait did I hear that right? "We've dressed you in your original tribute uniform for the cameras." Cameras?

"Haymitch?" I ask in an unbelieving voice.

"Don't look at me sweetheart, it's all Gameboy's doing. Didn't even know about it till Venia came to me."

"What is? Why am I going back?"

"We want you to find the nightlock and stand where Peeta and you stood at the beginning of the rebellion." I start shaking my head completely confused and lost.

"But don't I need Peeta for that?"

"Yes, this is why you'll be doing other things as well. Paying your respects to Rue, finding the cave, visiting the tracker jacker tree, until Peeta arrives."

I shake my head, "I can't do that. I can't go back to the arena. I could barely get into these clothes. Why do you even still need propos, the war's over!" I say rising from my chair.

"Exactly, we want you to show how the rebellion began and show the past is past. Then later, we'll have one more called the future is the future. I think you might like that one." Haymitch clears his throat and sits up straight.

I look at him and in a pleading disbelieving tone say, "Haymitch, please, you can't think this is a good idea, it's pointless, really!"

He takes away the bottle from his lips not about to take the drink he was. "It's not what I think sweetheart, it's what Panem thinks." He pauses. "But yes, I think it's pointless. The war's over Plutarch, no need to bring the memory of the Games back."

"Haymitch, we aren't trying to bring the Games back, we are trying to put them down!"

"Do they have to be put down by going back to the arena and making the victor relive her nightmares? Especially in the exact same clothes?"

Plutarch takes a cup and studies it and doesn't look away from it, "We want it to be authentic."

"You can't get authentic without the tributes and you are not doing anything with mutations Plutarch." Thank you Haymitch.

"No mutations Haymitch, just the victors and the arena." I start backing away from the table. "Katniss where are you-" Plutarch starts to ask getting up.

"I need to see Peeta." And I start to leave.

"But we're not finished!" he calls after me.

"Let her go." I hear Haymitch say.

Peeta's room is empty. Tubes and wires hang loose from the machines and the bloody table is just that, a bloody table. Panic sets in and I spin around to find my mother wiping her hands on a red stained towel.

"They're preparing him to be dropped off." She says. I move around her silently and go off to the hangar and find the two medics holding the unconscious Peeta between them on the stretcher. Effie and my prep team stand behind, but make way for me when they see me coming.

"Katniss, aren't you supposed to be in a meeting with Haymitch and Plutarch?" Effie asks. Same Effie. I nod and go to Peeta and stare at his pale face. His chest rises and falls slowly. I take his cold hand and ignore the eyes ore eye ears around me.

"Peeta, you're going to the Capitol, and you're going to get better," I state. Then I pause for a moment, not sure about the thing I'm about to say. I take a deep breath, "I won't be coming with you, I'm being taken back to the arena." I lean closer to him, so close I can feel the heat from a developing fever, "I'll be waiting for you Peeta Mellark, so don't think you can skip out and die and leave me there." I whisper, searching his face all the while for a sign. I sigh when I don't see one then I kiss his forehead, "I love you." I stand up straight.

"Katniss?" I hear Plutarch. I turn and see him standing at the doorway of the hangar. "Katniss are you coming back to the meeting?"

I give a short nod then look back at Peeta. "Don't forget, I'm waiting in the arena for you Breadboy, don't make me wait long." I start to let go of Peeta's hand when I feel the slightest twitch in it, a grabbing gesture but before I can fully comprehend it I've already let go. I stare at Peeta, eyes wide.

"Katniss?" Plutarch calls, shaking me out of my shock. I turn and glancing once more at Peeta, hoping his blue eyes would be open, but then I disappointedly turn back and walk to Plutarch.

"Let's get this over with." I mutter when I reach him.

"Of course," he says and leads me back to the meeting.

So according to Plutarch, I am to be followed around by a camera crew and have the arena cameras turned back on following me as well. Activating the cameras also will mean having to re-activate the entire arena, and all the untriggered traps they hadn't gotten around to deactivating permanently along with it. My job is to make the people realize the reality of the Games and to make them understand how important it is to forget them. Easy for them, they didn't live them. It is also my job to show how the rebellion began, and it's over, but for the most of that, I'll need Peeta.

I stand in the hangar telling everyone bye and I'll be back by my birthday, for Effie, because she is having a breakdown about what she'll do if she has to cancel everything and uninvite everyone, and then I watch them leave with Haymitch beside me still holding his cheek from the slap Effie gave him.

"She said she'd never kiss me while I was drunk," he said grinning. He lifts the bottle to his lips and drinks. "Guess I'll never get a kiss."

"I'm surprised she even touched you. You need a shower Haymitch." He scowls at me.

"Look who's talking, I'm not covered in dry blood sweetheart." He says and takes another drink.

"I'd rather be covered in dry blood then dry vomit," I snap.

Haymitch shrugs, "You get used to it."

We had to drop everyone off at the Capitol Hospital so we could go to the training center to pick up the camera crew who'd been living on the District 3 floor. When we arrived Haymitch and I were lowered onto the roof, leaving Plutarch in the hovercraft.

"Now just let me do all the talking sweetheart, you stand there and look like a victor." Haymitch opens the door and scowls. "We'll have to make a detour, you need a shower first."

"So do you. No one's going to take you seriously when you look like you've swam in a lake of filth." I say as I pass him. He follows me down the stairs.

"You just worry about yourself sweetheart. You know where it is." He says when we reach the hall. I nod and move toward my tribute room.

When I open the door there's somewhat of a shock. It hasn't changed since I had been thrown in here to be contained after shooting Coin, except for one thing, a red haired boy stands by the bathroom door, no older than Prim would be, and I knew something wasn't right.

"What's your name?" I ask testingly. The boy looks at me frightened but does not answer, cannot answer. He's an Avox. This should not be, he shouldn't be here.

I back towards the door, "Haymitch!" I yell starting to turn and leave. The boy frantically looks around then rushes towards me clamping his hand over my mouth just as I'm about to yell Haymitch's name again. The boy with fear in his eyes shakes his head vigorously and puts a finger to his lips to indicate to be quiet. I stare at him.

"Are you a new Avox?" I ask under his hand. He looks at me confused then removes his hand and I repeat the question. He nods and holds up the number two. "Two days as an Avox?" He shakes his head. "Weeks?" He nods. "Who made you and Avox? Why?" The boy shakes his head and grabs my arm and starts pulling me to the bathroom. When I refuse to move he points to the bathroom the clasps his hands together in a begging motion then starts tugging me towards it again. I follow this time and he leads me to the shower were the boy shakily presses the shower settings and motions me in and stands waiting. "Wait outside." I instruct and he bows and quickly backs out of the room and closes the door. Who turned him into an Avox? I wonder as I strip off my uniform and undo my hair. What did the boy do? What's his name? I start asking myself as I step in the shower.

When I finish and step back out the boy's there looking away with a red face holding a towel out in front of him to me.

I take it, "You don't have to serve me." I say as I wrap the towel around me. He looks at me and nods sadly and walks out and comes back in with my tribute uniform neatly folded in his hands. He presents them to me and I take them. He steps out and closes the door.

After drying myself, putting the clothes back on, and braiding my hair I feel somewhat refreshed, but the atmosphere of my surroundings and what I'm about to go do, smother that feeling.

The boy follows me when I leave the room and move down the hall towards Haymitch's rising voice, "Where did you get these Avoxs?"

"As I have said, the Avoxs have been mind for years. They decided after the war to stay, and I pay them for their labor I assure you." A deep Capitol voice says. I look back at the boy at this statement but he shakes his head.

"You've got a lot of nerve Mr. for trying to lie to me." Haymitch says dangerously low.

"I am not lying!"

"You really think I'm-"

"Yes I really think you will because-" I step around the corner into the room, in view and his sentence is dropped. Haymitch is staring down a man, arms crossed, with a stocky build. His eyes are a piercing sea green and his hair, including his little goatee and mustache was an unnaturally golden color. His eyes break from Haymitch to look to me and narrow, then in a flash open and he smiles, "So you are the great Katniss Everdeen! The girl who was on fire, the Mockingjay, and beautiful face of the rebellion," he crosses over to me and takes my hand and kisses it, then looks up at me with a chilling smile. "It is wonderful to finally meet you, the cameras do not do you justice." He drops my hand and steps back. He's in a clean navy blue suit, a white shirt, gold vest and a blood red tie. In his lapel is a white rose. I feel suddenly, extremely sick and start backing up.

Haymitch clears his throat, "Katniss," he says with a hint of warning. I freeze and look at the clean, well dressed Haymitch. "This is Mr. Hustler, he was a Gamemaker and now head of your film crew." I stare at Mr. Hustler, who with eyes that seem all too familiar now stare back.

His smile, familiar also, widens. "Please call me Mac." He says never looking away, and I see it. It's there, if you get rid of the facial hair and the color of the hair, it's there. The younger, stronger version of Snow. The snake eyes and twisted smile. I feel like I can't breathe, like a ton of coal has been dropped on my chest and the dust has closed up my throat making it impossible to get what little oxygen I could. "Samuel!" He snaps and the Avox boy moves out from behind me and stands almost trembling in front of him. "Go get the crew." Samuel nods and runs off towards the elevator.

"Exc-" My voice is a little high so I take a deep breath and clear my throat. "Excuse us would you please Mr. Hustler, I-"

"Mac." He interrupts good naturedly.

"Mac." I say with a forced smile. " I need to speak with my mentor a moment."

"Not at all, go right ahead." And he moves off to the other side of the room.

Haymitch moves closer with a look of irritation, "This better be good."

"You wanted me to spill the secret, here it is, Peeta told me to 'beware Snow's mutt.'" I glance at Mr. Hustler again thinking about my idea of another hijacked person. "I think that was what attacked him."

"But his was a hu-" I see him coming to the same realization, "That would mean someone was hijacked." I nod.

"Anything seem strange or familiar about Mr. Hustler?"

"Besides the fact he still has Avoxs," he shakes his head. "Not unless being too sophisticated and mannerly is strange."

I frown, "What about his eyes, his smile? Did you see the white rose?" Haymitch is trying to put it together in his head.

And then I see him slowly drawing the conclusion and he shakes his head disapprovingly, "Katniss, you aren't suggesting-"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting, he's the mutt!"

Haymitch shakes his head again, "That's absurd, Katniss, Plutarch's known this man since he became a Gamemaker and he has given no reason to be labeled as a mutt. Sure it's odd he wears a white rose, but that's not a reason to name him as such."

"Haymitch, I'm telling you, there's just something off about him."

"Well, you'll be the one with the weapon now won't you." He says ending the discussion. Doesn't mean he can't try and strangle me, think to myself. I feel a small hint of anger at Haymitch for not believing me.

The elevator opens and two strong looking men come in carrying equipment, both obscured by it, "Just let me do all the talking sweetheart." I nod and follow Haymitch frowning, almost scowling, as he moves closer.

"Just set those down over there boys." Mr. Hustler says pointing to a corner. One peeks around the equipment and nods and walks to it with the other following. I watch them as they set them down gently then turn.

"Gale?" I ask incredulously.

"Hey Catnip."

"How? When?"

"Just about an hour ago. Mac called me for help."

"You-you know him?"

Gale nods, " He was in Two for a while, fled there from the Capitol and joined the rebellion." He moves to Mac and smiling slaps him on the back. "He was a great commander of the hovercrafts. He was in charge of them when we were in the Capitol." That would make him apart of the Silver Parachute Bombing.

"I don't want all the credit, I had help." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Gale was friends with a murderous mutt.

"Wonderful. We have a schedule to keep according to Plutarch, so if you and your crew could head up to the roof we could leave." Haymitch says. Wow, he almost sounded like Effie. Note to self: Get Haymitch a drink A.S.A.P.

Mr. Hustler nods and starts walking towards the door that leads up to the roof, he calls over his shoulder, "Samuel, Avelen, come." Samuel moves into step quickly behind Mr. Hustler and from out of the shadows a girl the same age or younger than Samuel comes and falls in step behind Samuel, her head bowed.

Haymitch clears his throat, "No Avoxs."

Hustler stops and turns. "These two have been with me for quite some time, they're like family. If they cannot go, then I cannot and must apologize." Haymitch raises his eyebrows then thinks a moment. "Sir this is my final offer. Otherwise you may find a new film crew." Haymitch mulls this over.

"Fine," he growls. "But they better get proper sleep, food and treatment. They will not be made to do anything without pay, and I better see that money exchange hands the moment they do something." Samuel and Avelen exchange weary looks behind Mr. Hustler's back. Mr. Hustler thinks a moment then smiles, showing his to white teeth.

"Of course, they get that anyways." But I have the sense to know he's lying through his shiny white perfect fanged teeth.

"Then by all means," Haymitch says gesturing to the door that lead to the roof. Mr. Hustler nods and begins walking again. When he realizes Samuel and Avelen are not following he snaps. They jump and hurry to him. The unnamed crew member nudges to Gale and nods to the equipment. Gale nods in understanding and they both go gather up the equipment and follow Mr. Hustler.

I start to follow to when I feel Haymitch's hand on my shoulder stopping me. I look behind me at him and his face is a mixture of a scowl and puzzlement, "He hasn't given me a reason to distrust him, but him still having Avoxs is disturbing, keep clear of him until I can sort out if he can be trusted or not."

"I don't trust him period." Haymitch looks at me.

"I'll take that into account. In the meantime, keep some type of weapon with you always and conceal it. We don't want him to know we have doubts."

"I don't have doubts Haymitch, I know he can't be trusted, and to ease your 'doubts' maybe you should talk to Plutarch to Gale since they're real chummy with him." Haymitch removes his hand from my shoulder.

"I will sweetheart, thanks."

Mad at Haymitch for not believing me and mat at Gale for having a friendship with the guy I stomp my way down the hall and up the stairs to the roof to get on the hovercraft.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When I got on board I went straight to my room and lay down on the bed, not knowing or caring how much time had passed. This Mr. Hustler I was convinced, was the mutt Peeta warned me about. He looked too much like a young President Snow, and the white rose, and his politeness… I shudder and turn over and stare at my bow and arrows. More than the mutt, I was afraid of its mission, it was obvious he was meant to kill me and Peeta, and he'd almost succeeded with Peeta.

Time continued to pass without my knowing until there was a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I call, but I get no answer. Maybe I'd imagined it. But then a few seconds later I hear it again. "Who is it?" I yell. No answer. Frowning I get up and go open the door. "Oh!" I feel my face burning and I look away as I take a step back from the Avox boy. "Sorry," I mumble. The boy nods and holds up a tray with food on it. "Samuel right?" He nods. I wave the tray away, "No thanks." He nods and starts to leave but then I catch his shoulder, "Why are you serving, I thought you're supposed to be taking it easy." He shakes his head. I furrow my brow. "Can you write?" He nods. I take the tray from him. "Go get a pen and paper." I say. He nods and leaves and by the time I've set the tray down on the night stand and turn around he's already back. He holds out the pen and paper to me. "No, that's for you." He shakes his head and tries to hand it to me again but I push it back towards him. "Tell me why you're an Avox, what did you do?" Samuel stares at me blankly. I tap the paper. He looks down at it frowning. Then hesitantly begins to write, but it doesn't even take a minute before he's showing it to me and all it says is, _I did nothing_. "And the girl?" He writes, _Nothing_. "Then why are you one?" He starts writing and this time it takes him a little bit longer. When he finishes he hands me the paper. _Mr. Hustler didn't like our families. Made us Avoxs in front of them, then killed them. We're from District 5_. "And he did this only two weeks ago?" He nods. "Tell me, do you see any resemblance between this man and President Snow?" The boy nods and takes the paper from me and writes more. _He keeps a garden of white roses at his mansion. I overheard him say once it was in honor of the President. Please don't let anyone know I have made known these things. Mr. Hustler will kill Avelen and me! _"I won't. You can go Samuel. Take advantage of being here and rest, I'll try and get you both freed." He bows and leaves. Of course though, in order to get them freed, I'll need Haymitch's help, and I know I can trust him. I rip off the piece of paper and fold it up and slip it into my pocket then head out in search of Haymitch.

I don't get far before Plutarch finds me and is ushering me towards a last minute meeting where I am sat down in the head chair.

"Ok, so we've decided the first place you'll make your way to is the place of Rue's death." Great, plunge right in to the heavy stuff. "Then make your way to the cave where you found Peeta. It should all be a lot easier this time since this time you'll have a map, marked of course, of the arena. It was supposed to be for the tours so you'll see where other events had taken place and other places where tributes died."

"Thanks," I say sarcastically.

"You're very welcome," he says not hearing the sarcastic tone at all.

Haymitch at the other end of the table clears his throat and takes a drink, "I'll be up here monitoring sweetheart, talking to you through an earpiece. Plutarch is going to try and keep the arena under control. Ain't that right Heavensbee?"

"Yes." He says with a mixture of excitement and uneasiness.

"You just don't forget to smile sweetheart, we'll be there in five minutes." Haymitch says and tilts up the bottle finishing it off, some of it dribbling down his chin.

"I'm not entering through the catacombs am I?"

Plutarch shakily laughs, "Good heavens no! We aren't making you reenact the Game!"

"Could've fooled me." I mumble.

"Five minutes sweetheart, be ready and at the hangar. Mr. Hustler has your things, except your bow."

"Bow?" Plutarch asks. "Why on earth would she need her bow?"

"You want it to be authentic Plutarch." Haymitch says without looking away from me.

"Well yes, but-"

"And she needs something for protection." He looks at Plutarch. "You said yourself the arena still hasn't been completely disabled."

Plutarch opens his mouth to protest but becomes uneasy and shifts. "Yes, her bow is a fine addition." Haymitch studies Plutarch then sees me out of the corner of his eye just sitting there.

"No use just sitting here sweetheart, go get ready." And without any other indication, I'm dismissed.

I get up and leave and head back down the hall to my room and when I open the door I'm surprised to see both Avox children in my room.

"What are you doing in here?" Samuel runs to the bedside and grabs my bow and quiver and run them back to me, then the girl, Avelen I think was her name, hands me a piece of paper with words that freeze my blood, _be careful of Mr. Hustler_. I look up at them and nod, unable to speak. The fact the Avox children are warning me of him gives me even more of an incentive to stay away from him as much as possible. They would know him better than anyone. I sling the quiver over my head and grasp the bow feeling the power as it hums in my hands.

"Don't worry, Hustler won't get the chance." Whatever it is, Hustler won't get it.

I leave the Avox children with promises of their freedom when I return as I head towards the hangar, towards my own inprisonment.

Hustler is waiting for me; under his arm he holds a black metal suitcase. When he sees me he smiles. "Good, you're here," he reaches in his pocket and pulls out an earpiece and hands it to me and I put it in. "Now gather round everyone," he tells us. Gale, and the other man move to us. Hustler takes the suitcase and sets it gently on the ground and opens it, and I can't see what's inside.

"Can you hear me sweetheart?" Haymitch's voice scares me and I jump. Making everyone stare at me. I give Haymitch an irritated look though he can't see me.

"Yes Haymitch." I say rolling my eyes.

"Ok I want you to hold out your left arms please." I turn my attention back to Hustler confused. He stands up bringing out from behind the suitcase a huge injector. I back up knowing all too well what it is. My hand goes to my left arm to cover the apple sized lump scar that runs on it as Hustler approaches the man who holds his arm out and Hustler sticks him injecting it in him. A tracker. I can see the lump underneath the skin when he removes the injector.

"Haymitch?"

"Yeah sweetheart?"

"Did you know about trackers?"

Hustler is moving to Gale and is about to inject him. "Stop!" I say. Loud and unintelligible words fly over my earpiece and I know Haymitch is yelling. Hustler has stopped hovering right over his skin.

"Something wrong dear?" he asks innocently.

I feel myself wanting to make a disgusted face, or to gag, but all I can do is stare at the injector and say quietly, "Don't inject him."

"Let him inject you." Haymitch says.

"What?!" I yell back.

"Plutarch's reason for the trackers are valid, let him inject you. Sorry sweetheart." Hustler's hesitance is over and he nods then continues his injection with Gale, then he comes to me.

"You've had this before, it doesn't hurt does it?" he says sweetly. He removes my hand smiling and right where the scare is, he injects the tracker. It's cold and painful going into my arm, the lump is there immediately and I feel the need to push it down but I know that will only result in a bruise. Hustler moves away and injects himself then sets the injector back in the suitcase and closes it. When he stands up he seems somewhat confused for a moment, a look I see sometimes on Peeta's face after he's felt pain when he's in a hijacking state, but then he regains his composure and smiles. His face suddenly becomes a mask. "Ok," he looks at Gale and the man, "Get the gear, we're over the arena." They nod and grab it. The man goes to the ladder first and just barely gets hold of the ladder. He's frozen to it and lowered. When the ladder comes back up Gale follows, then Hustler until I'm alone.

I step up and wait for the ladder.

"Alright sweetheart, you've got Gale down there, and me up here, and loverboy recovering in the Capitol. You can do this." Haymitch tells me.  
"You're not always good company." I tell him.  
"You're not a bunch of rays of sunshine yourself," the ladder's back. "Now grab on, and be the victor you are." I sigh, take a deep breath and grab the rung with one hand while placing a foot on another, freezing myself.

As I descend into the arena, a thought flickers through my mind, stunned prey is easy kill, but then the thought of Gale down there eases it. Seeing the arena from this height I can see it all. We're over the Cornucopia, and when I look out I can see the burned forest and the stream where I took refuge after I was burned, and I wonder how I had made it that long distance and come out alive with just a few burns. I can see the lake which stretches out widely and the cliff that drops off into a valley. Then I can see the field where Thresh had taken refuge. It's a field of overgrown grains and grasses, but at the center, there is a small clearing, big enough for a small camp. Clever Thresh. I knew I would have been no match for him, bow or not.

My ladder stops and the current release me. I stumble away from the ladder and a hand gently catches me at the small of my back. I look up and see an emotionless mask.

"Thanks." Gale nods and removes his hand and goes to set up equipment. I frown slightly.

"Burr, friendship a little cold?" The voice of Mr. Hustler makes me jump and if he wouldn't have walked more into view, I would have thought it was Snow.

"Excuse my bluntness Mr. Hustler, but that's none of your business." He laughs.

"Miss Everdeen, it is every bit my business." He says stunning me to silence. What does he mean by that? He gives me the Snow-like smile and moves to the man and Gale, glancing once over his shoulder.

I soon found myself leaning against a tree hugging my knees to me waiting for them to finish setting up. When they finished, Mr. Hustler, decided that, instead of starting at Rue's death, we'd start here, and asked me to climb the Cornucopia. I didn't want to, but the stupid voice of Haymitch was nagging me to. So I did.

There were claw scrapes dug in the side as I climbed and when I reached the top my eyes darted immediately to where Peeta and I had waited out Cato's death. I hauled myself on top and stood up and walked to it, and there was the faintest stain of dried blood.

"Katniss, what do you see?" Hustler calls up.

I go back to the edge, but stay safely back and call down, "A very small bit of dried blood!"

"Who's?"

"I-I think it was Peeta's!"

"Come down now!" he calls. I don't hesitate in my descent, but I'm not happy when I get down. "Now we need you to go into the Cornucopia."

"In it?" He nods. "But, I never went in the Cornucopia in the Games." I point out.

"We know this, but this is where the 'last' tribute died." Oh. The significant death of the 74th Hunger Games, Cato's.

Haymitch's voice come's over the mini earpiece, "Do exactly what he wants sweetheart, think of him as your stylist, don't resist." To think of this Snow look alike as a representative of Cinna disgusts me. But I agree to Haymitch anyways and walk to the mouth of the Cornucopia, no objection crossing my lips.

A chill creeps up my spine as I remember the last night of the Games. I shudder as I remember Cato's moans of agony as his life was painfully dragged out for the Capitol's sick enjoyment. Mr. Hustler joins me at the mouth of the Cornucopia and prods me forward telling me I need to enter.

"This is a significant spot," he begins. "The place where the last tribute fell making you and Peeta victor. Tell us about the tribute and his death." Hustler says walking slowly beside me.

We are halfway in the Cornucopia, Gale and the man are following. I look down at the ground which I immediately regret. It's covered in dark old stains of blood, and against the wall, closer to the back, there is a large bone. Large human bone. I feel sick.

"Katniss?" Hustler asks again. "The tribute?" I have to turn my back to it, and turn to the cameras. I focus on Gale behind on who looks at me concerned. When I start speaking, I start talking, blocking everyone but Gale out. Like I'm just telling him. My friend.

"His name was Cato; he was a tribute form District Two. The mutts got him, and I killed him in the end out of mercy, to end the Games."

"When you say mutts, what do you mean exactly?" Hustler says cracking my sudden illusion.

I look at him, "I mean dog like and human like creatures created by the Capitol. They had characteristics of the fallen tributes, like their eyes." I say remembering little Rue's eyes within the face of the mutt, set with hatred and lust for my blood.

"So on this topic of mutations, let's talk about your tracker jacker experience." He pauses. "Cut." Hustler says. I see the red lights go off on the cameras and he walks out of the Cornucopia motioning for us all to follow. I follow silently behind Gale, but I can't help the feeling of hate and death that hangs in the air pressing down on me. Cato's agonizing moan's echoes through my head and I shiver and have to sprint past Gale to get out, though it didn't seem fast enough for me. The whole field surrounding the Cornucopia suddenly gives off the same feeling.

Gale puts a hand on my shoulder making me jump but then I calm down slightly. I turn to him and he has discarded his camera somewhere, his face shows concern, "Are you ok?" I could tell him yes, but Gale knows me to well, even if he hasn't seen me for a while. I shake my head. He stares at me. I expected him to ask what was wrong, but he doesn't, instead, he pulls me into a huge hug and just holds me there. And after a while, I find myself melting into his still familiar arms. And after a while he speaks. "I'm here for you Catnip, hang in there." Maybe I didn't need to explain what was wrong, because Gale still knows how to read me. But there are a few things, if I ever get ready to, that I will have to explain to him.

"Let's move onto the tracker jacker tree," Hustler's voice says. I pull away from Gale. "I would like to make it at least to the cave before night falls, then we can come back and camp in the Cornucopia." Welcome back to the arena, I think to myself, and may the odds be ever in your favor.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was easier to get to the tree, but to that we had to pass by the place where Foxface died, but Hustler didn't question me about her death, which seemed odd since she died of nightlock. The very berries that started the whole rebellion. But from whatever reason we kept on toward the tree.

The man, whose name I learned is Gilden and he doesn't ever talk because of, Gale said a trauma that turned him into a mental Avox, took point, then Hustler, then me, then Gale bringing up the rear. The small moment of complete comfort and familiarity from the Cornucopia has been replaced with an invisible wall again. A big part of me is still resentful towards Gale, which adds support to the otherwise extremely shaky wall, and then there's the girl, untouched by the Games and all its brought wishing for Gale to put an arm around me with a genuine "Hey Catnip" and a smile. But that girl is such a small part of me now.

Once on the way to the tree I thought Gale had tried to talk to me, but it was probably just that, a thought. I might have missed the tree entirely to if not for the map because there was no indication of a shattered tracker jacker nest anywhere, but the tree had been marked with the Capitol symbol, showing its significant importance. Once I saw the symbol and realized it was the tree, everything started to look familiar. We stopped and I turned to Hustler for further instructions.

I was handed a knife and asked to leave my bow and arrows and climb the tree. I didn't want my protection out of reach, but I silently took off the quiver and handed it to Gale without complaint, who after a second nodded and put it on, then he took the bow.

I climbed the tree all the way to where I thought I had sawed the limb off. It was hard to tell now, the limb's grown, but I think I've just spotted it when I hear a soft hum. The hum that cannot be mistaken and can only be identified as the hum of tracker jackers. I look up into the tree alarmed, afraid I'll find a new nest of the tracker jacker's that I had destroyed their home and they would recognize me and attack, but I don't see anything. I look across, into the tree that had once held the fragile Rue, but there's nothing there either.

"Get out of there now Katniss." Haymitch's voice almost causes me to lose my grip on the tree.

"What? Why?"

"You're in a tracker jacker community, and you're right at the heart of it. Get out fast and quiet. Don't disturb them."

"Ok." I say as I start to descend.

"Katniss?" Hustler calls up.

"Shhh!" I do as loud as I can or dare to.

When my feet touch the ground, Hustler is in my face demanding answers from me, "Why did you come down? I didn't tell you to come down and we didn't get any footage of you talking about your experience!" He says almost yelling.

Gale puts a hand on his shoulder slightly pulling him back, "Mac, calm."

"You want something on my tracker jacker experience?" I snap. "It hurts, like you wouldn't believe, and the hallucinations are horrible, you can't define reality," I say in harsh whispers. "My hallucinations were mainly of me and my sister and my father and mother dying in horrible ways. Prim died in those hallucinations, and you know what," I state again, my tone grows softer and I almost feel like crying as I speak of Prim. "She did die." A hardness creeps into my voice. "So my tracker jacker experience was hell, it was reality." I finish looking at the ground a tear slipping from my eye.

"Cut!" Hustler says. I wipe my eye angrily and look up. Good he got what he wanted. "Wonderful, wonderful."

"We have to leave; we're in the middle of a tracker jacker community." I push through the middle of them and start walking. "Stay quiet." I warn in over my shoulder. I realize I'm still gripping the knife in a tight fist, so I slip it in my belt.

"I knew that." I hear Hustler say. I roll my eyes. Wouldn't surprise me. "Um, where are you going Katniss, where Rue died is that way." I look back at him and see him pointing to the left. Without a word, which I had a few choice I could have said, I change direction and keep walking, not caring when or if they'll catch up.

It doesn't take long. Gale catches up to me and hands me back my bow and arrows. He's silent, but I can tell he wants to say something.

"What?" I ask. He shakes his head. "Come on Gale, I know you're wanting to say something." He shakes his head again and I stop, grabbing his arm. "What Gale?" He looks at my hand then at me. I remove my hand and cross my arms, awkwardly since I'm still holding the bow.

"It's nothing Catnip, I already have my answer."

"Well, I don't. What was the question?" He looks at me then sighs.

"The question was why you hadn't shared some of these things you're sharing now with me, but you're sharing now in the open. But my answer is it's a part of the Games, so it's secret until needed." I stare at Gale shocked.

"Gale, I never talked about any of it because the Games are a- touchy subject. I wish I could forget the Games completely. Believe me Gale, if it had been you, you'd do the same to me." I reason.

Gale shakes his head, "No, I wouldn't. I would tell you everything that had gone on because I know the Capitol would have twisted it or left something out." He pauses. "I saw your entire Games, from start to finish while I was in Two, uncut. Then I saw the uncut of the 75th. You never told me about the interview, about what Peeta said." What? He already knew what Peeta said in the-Oh, but not from the 75th Games. No one but those that had been there knew that. But in the Games Finnick played the pregnant card time and again and I'm sure people figured it out. But Gale, he had to find out the explanation from an interview the reason that his "best friend" was supposedly already married and pregnant. "And little Rue, you never told me about her." He saw the Games. What about Rue is there left to tell? "I would have enjoyed hearing about your friend that saved you from the Careers." I unfold my arms and look away.

"If you've watched the Games you already know as much about her as I do."

"But I'd rather hear you talk about her."

"But I can't Gale, I couldn't. Even now it hurts to talk about the Games." Gale's brow furrow and his voice rises.

"Then why are you? Why do you still do what they want? Why are you still a piece in their Games?"

A piece in their Games. Still just a piece in their Games. I feel so stupid, being another stupid piece in their Games and this time it's Plutarch and Haymitch's. Haymitch's.

"That idiotic damn drunk did it to me again."

"Katniss?" Gale asks.

"Haymitch I want a ladder now." I say furiously.

"Sorry sweetheart, not till you're completely out of tracker jacker territory. A couple more yards should get you there."

"Haymitch just give us the ladder, this arena adventure is over."

"Now hang on sweetheart, it isn't until you and Peeta get your nightlock shot."

"No! I can't and don't want to do this Haymitch!" There is silence, and in the silence I hear Hustler and Gilden approach Gale and me.

"Alright sweetheart. Give us a minute." Haymitch says quietly.

"Thank you." I look at Gale who hearing my half of the conversation nods. The thank you was for both him and Haymitch, though Haymitch and I are going to talk when I get on board.

"What's going on?" Hustler asks.

"We're leaving the arena, the propos are over." Gale replies.

Hustler start's to shake his head, "This is unacceptable. The plan was not carried out."

"It's ok Mr. Hustler, you can pull clips from the Games." I tell him, not really caring.

"No child, not that plan. The Great Plan." He approaches me slowly, back straight. "It is with no regret I carry it out either." He pulls out the earpiece he's been using to communicate with Plutarch and reaches into his pocket. When he brings his hand out it's with blinding speed and I can only register the sharp pain and the evil Snow-like smile that spreads across his face as he rips out the knife. He goes in for another stab but Gale and Gilden jump forward grabbing him. I grab my side, the shock subsiding and pain of the stab setting in and I fall to my knees.

"Don't bother getting up Mockingjay; the poison my father used to stay in power is now coursing through you." Father? My mind seems to be muddled. Poison? Power? Oh. My mind seems to put it together. This is Snow's son. But why the different last name?

"You're his son?" I slur.

"I'm his mutt." He spits. "Never called son. He never wanted one." Snow turned his own son into a mutt and denied him.

"Mac?" I look at Gale who looks at Hustler betrayed.

"Don't worry; you'll be mayor of District 12. Assuming you'll go back now she's dead. The Capitol will be restored to its former self and I will be the new President of Panem now that the two leaders of the rebellion will be dead." My insides feel like they're on fire and it's spreading.

"Hustler, you help her right now!" Gale yells.

"Sorry my friend, I don't have the antidote on me. She'll be dead in a couple of minutes." He looks right at me grinning. "I gave her a lower dose, to make sure it was slower." Hustler struggles and takes out a small rectangle with a blue button and presses it. Nothing happens.

"Alright sweetheart ladders coming down grab on fast." Haymitch's voice has panic in it.

The ladder appears and I try and reach for it but I can't move. Hustler, laughs then in a moment of surprise, elbows Gale and Gilden causing them to let go and he runs to the ladder and latches on just as it starts to retract.

"Enjoy the mutts." He says as the ladder rises.

I don't remember ever falling on my back, but when Gale rushes to me he is lifting me off the forest floor and pulling me into his lap.

"Come on Catnip, you've been through too much to die now." I can't remember if I've ever seen Gale cry, but tears are rolling down his face now. "Please Catnip don't." The burning has spread throughout my whole body now. I'm once again on fire. I feel my pulse begin to slowly stop and my mouth is dry when I speak.

"Gale, about Prim, I forgive you." Gale's tears come faster as he pulls me close. "Tell my mother I love her, and when Peeta wakes up I love him." I feel myself slipping. "And I love you to Gale."

"Stop talking like that Catnip. You can't die."

"You'll be alright sweetheart. Hang in there." Haymitch.

"Haymitch tell the team and Effie thanks. And thank you for everything." The ladders appeared again and the edges of my vision begin to black out. The ground begins to rumble and soon I can hear the growls of numerous beasts.

"Mutts." I tell Gale weakly. He gathers me into his arms and starts for the ladder. "Don't forget my bow." he grunts and bends awkwardly clutching me to him to grab the bow then he grabs the ladder and we're frozen. I'm able to make out the twenty two mutts running to the spot we just left, where Gilden still is. They'll be on him in seconds. The ladder makes it inside and I see a cuffed, unconscious Hustler on the floor. When we're released some medics are there to take me from Gale. I try to keep hold of Gale but my grip is easy to break and I'm losing consciousness.

"Fight it Catnip." Gale keeps saying to me over and over, his voice cracking a few times, but by the time we reach the room with all the machines, I'm gone. My heart has stopped and I've slipped into the black unknown. Katniss Everdeen, the Girl who was on Fire, the Mockingjay, who's survived many times though she shouldn't have, is finally dead.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I'm greeted by Prim. Her shirt has come untucked in the back and I have to tuck it back in. She doesn't leave my side. Rue comes skipping to me next with Thresh following her. Finnick and Boggs come, and Finnick is carrying a whole bowl of sugar cubes and like old times, seductively offers me one. I didn't expect Cato, but he came to. Offering me his respect and apology. Cinna came and he started telling me how proud of me he was and how good I looked in my Mockingjay suit. Madge is next and she tells me how she always believed in me. Then the one I've been missing in my life since I was eleven comes.

"Dad." Prim and I run to him, hugging him. He smelled like the woods and coal mines. He embraced us and hugged us back tightly.

"My two little girls." I felt like crying at hearing his deep gentle voice. He kisses the top of Prim's head, then mine.

"Daddy, I've missed you so much." I say. He strokes my hair gently with a smile I'd only dreamed of ever seeing again.

"I know Katniss, I know. But you've done an excellent job in my absence taking care of the family." I look at Prim doubtfully.

"I wasn't your fault Katniss." Prim says giving me a stern look.

"And your friend Gale wasn't responsible either. It was that Hustler man." Dad shakes his head. "That friend Gale of yours, I wish I could thank him for helping you. And that boy Peeta," At the mention of Peeta I blush. "I met him for a little bit while he was up here. He's a good boy, and he loves you. I've seen that." Dad takes on a business voice, "I approve of him." Then it softens and he smiles and takes hold of my hands, encasing them in his massive rough hands that have seen many days in the mines and looks me in the eyes with his dark grey Seam eyes. "Though I don't think any boy can deserve my little girl." He stares at me, looking my face over, and then pulls me into a tight hug. "I love you Katniss, and I wish you could stay, but you can't. You have people to take care of. I'm very proud of you my Little Mockingjay. Say hi to your mother for me." I felt a pulling sensation then, like I was losing grip on reality. Everyone that had come to see me has made a straight line behind Prim and my Dad, starting with Cinna on his left and Finnick on the right. Prim hugs me tightly and I see the shirttail has come out again.

"Tuck your tail in little duck." I say tucking it in.

She giggles making me smile. "Say hi to Mom and Gale for me, and Peeta to. Love you Katniss."

My eyes are filling with tears, "I love you to Prim."

"Katniss, here's a sugar cube for your journey." I look up and catch the sugar cube Finnick tosses me.

"Katniss remember, I'm still betting on you." Cinna tells me. By now everyone has dissolved into mist except Prim and my father who are slowly disappearing now to. I reach out for my father.

"No Dad, don't leave again!"

He touches my face lightly, smiling, "I'm not far. Don't quit singing Little Mockingjay." Then he's gone leaving Prim.

I look at Prim through my blurry vision shaking my head, "Prim, no please don't go, not you to."

"Don't forget to feed Buttercup. I like your singing." She hugs me tightly and I hug her back, not wanting to let go. "Please be happy Katniss. I love you so much. I'll be able to hear your songs." I start to feel I'm losing her.

"No Prim, don't go!" I try to hold tighter.

"Peeta needs you, I've got Dad now. We'll be waiting for you and Mom, but don't hurry. Be happy Katniss, and for nothing else be happy for me." And then she's gone and I'm left standing clutching at empty air in the middle of nothingness.

"Catnip, Catnip?" Gale's voice sends me into a panic. Please tell me he's not dead to. The white around me grows brighter as I turn and search for him until it's finally blinding. His voice is loud as he repeats my name, alternating between Katniss and Catnip. I blink my eyes rapidly until I'm able to focus. When I do see Gale leaning over me, he's looking at me with a dirty tear stained, panic stricken, concerned face and when he sees my eyes open he smiles widely.

"Hey Catnip." He says trying to sound casual, but his voice is hoarse and full of relief.

"Hey." I say hoarsely and try to clear my throat, and when I do, I taste blood. I cough and the blood starts coming up, and Gale immediately helps me turn over to where there was a pan set just for that. Pain shoots up from my stomach. I finish coughing and roll back over onto my back and wince and try to breathe in small breaths.

"I died." I state.

"You did." He says frowning. "You gave me a heart attack Catnip, and if you ever-"

"I saw Prim." I say interrupting him. "And my father." Gale looks at me concerned.

"Katniss are you in pain right now?" Of course I was, each breath I was taking pained me, but I shook my head. "Liar. " He looks away from me. "Hey give her something will you?" I try and look to but I'm too weak. But I feel the needle enter and leave my arm.

"Dad met Peeta when he died." I pause, thoughtful a moment. "How long was I dead?" Gale looks away. "Gale, how long?"

"An hour and a half."

"I don't believe it."

"Neither do we. Haymitch already sent word to your mother, she was taking care of Peeta when someone told her, and I guess that hit a nerve of Peeta's, he flexed his hand."

"He's awake?" I ask hope growing.  
"No, but he moved his hand, that's a good sign." Gale says gently.

"How ya doin' sweetheart?" I glance around Gale who backs up to let a hazardous looking Haymitch closer, bottle in hand. When he reaches the bed he stumbles a little and Gale reaches out and steadies him. "Thanks." He says nodding to Gale. "So how you feeling?" He asks looking at me and his eyes are bloodshot.

"Haymitch? How much have you drank?" I ask concerned.

"No more 'an usual." He says defensively. I can smell the liquor all the way on my bed and it's strong enough I'd say to knock out an elephant. I look up at Gale who moves cautiously towards the drunk mentor and takes hold of his arm to keep him upright. "Hey watch it trapper boy, my arms aren't game."

"Haymitch, I think you should go lie down, or sit down before you fall." I say.

He smiles and stands up puffing out his chest and spreads his arms out drunkenly, "I'm fine sweetheart." But he lets Gale direct him to a chair where he plops down and slumps almost halfway off of it. "Well I'll tell ya one thin', the son of Snow got all the violence, and I'll be glad when ya kill 'im." And just like that Haymitch's eyes closed, his head rolled to the side and he started snoring like a room of generators. I stare at him shocked then look up at Gale.

"What does he mean 'when I kill him'?"

"Katniss, you should rest." Gale responds dodging the question.

"I feel fine." I protest.

"You just died! You need rest." He reaches to a machine beside the bed, ignoring my protests and pushes a red button. "Sleep well Katniss."

"Gale!" I say incredulously. I can feel a liquid go through a tube into an IV in my arm. I reach for it, maybe to late but I'm about to rip it out when Gale's hand firmly clasps over my own. "Gale." I whine.

"Sorry Catnip, this'll do you good, trust me." And before I could protest anymore the drug was already dragging me under into a heavy sleep.

It took me a few seconds before I realized I was awake and I lazily opened my eyes. I registered Haymitch's loud snoring first, then I registered the heavy mass on my arm. Gale's head rested there, his sleeping face toward me. Part of his head rested on his own arm, and I realized he was holding my hand. I reached out with my right hand which I soon found was the one connected to the IV, and gently ruffled his hair. He grunted and lifted his head sleepily.

"Wha'?" I almost felt bad for waking him up, but then I would've missed his genuine smile, and genuine "Hey Catnip." No matter how sleepy it sounded or looked.

"Hey." I said smiling back. I felt happy Gale was right here, it's like nothing bad between us had ever happened.

"Sleep well?"

I was about to answer when the realization hit, he was the reason for the sleep. I frowned deeply at him, "I can't believe you did that to me."

He looked at me with innocence, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Gale Andrew Hawthorne, you know exactly what you did."

"Uh oh, not the full name, please no, I'm shaking in my boots."

"You better be." I say giving him an icy glare.  
"I think you should be the one in trouble, Katniss McKenna Everdeen." I make a disgusted face at my middle name only Gale and now my mother knows about.

"Ugh, I will still never understand that name."

"It suits you." He says and I give him a disbelieving look. "As for Andrew well-"

"Andrew was your grandfather's name, and sort of you father's name, of course it suits you."

"Well your name is-" he starts but right at that time the medics come in carrying a stretcher.

"Sorry, but could you stand off to the side, we need to prep her to leave." Gale nods and gets up. He gives my hand a squeeze before letting go and going to stand by Haymitch out of the way. Poor Haymitch, I've noticed has during the night let the bottle tip and spill on him making it look like he's peed himself, or at least, I hope that was liquor. Gale has seen the bottle and tips it up. While the medics work on unhooking me, one glances over at Haymitch warily.

"Is he going to need a stretcher?"

Gale shakes his head, "I'll get him down there."

By the time they're lifting me on the stretcher, I'm wide awake and I can feel the morphling start to wear off. They carry me down to the hangar gently, and Gale follows with a hungover Haymitch grumbling and leaning on Gale as he drinks the remainder of the bottle. When we get there, two official Capitol Peacekeeper's have hold of a cuffed Mr. Hustler who when sees me grins. The Peacekeepers start pushing him towards the ladder.

"Beware Mockingjay, I will not give up easily, and you are not out of the woods yet." They push him roughly onto the ladder where he becomes frozen and they each grab on. The ladder begins to slowly descend. "Remember Katniss," he calls to me just as he's about to clear the hangar. "There are much worse games to play." Then his head disappeared. If Gale hadn't been holding Haymitch, and if Haymitch hadn't been so drunk to be coordinated, and Hustler was still on board, they probably would have both grabbed him and beat him by the looks on their faces.

The hangar closed as the ladder returned and there was a slight shift as the hovercraft started moving again. But my mind was stuck on the words of Hustler. It was obvious right now he was playing with me, but worse games?

A thousand different things flashed through my mind until finally the medics interrupted it by moving to the hangar door, the hovercraft had landed.

The medics are met by doctors and they are immediately directed down to the end of the hall and into an elevator where we ride all the way up to the top, then down to the end of a hall and into a large room with only one other person, head bandaged, hooked up to a bunch of machines. Peeta. I could've jumped off the stretcher and ran to him, but as soon as I moved I felt pain in my stomach so I decided lying on the stretcher was fine to. There was an empty bed set up close to Peeta's and that's where the medics took and laid me and left me to the doctors who began hooking me up immediately. Soon I felt the sweet sensation of morphling running through my veins, relieving me of pain. I watched Gale move around the doctors to a chair where he dumped Haymitch who looked right now like a grouchy sleepy homeless person. Gale stayed back until the doctors where finished, then he walked up to the bed with a small smile. The morphling hadn't been the only medicine they'd just injected apparently and I was beginning to feel drowsy.

"I'm gonna let you rest now Catnip, I'm gonna take Haymitch out and talk to your mother." Gale takes my hand, gives it a squeeze and starts to turn and let go.

"Gale wait," I say sleepily, grabbing his hand. He stops and turns raising an eyebrow. "Stay?" In response he grabs a nearby chair and puts it close to the bed and sits in it. "Thank you." I say, my eyelids closing slowly halfway. He nods. I try to stay awake, because I've really just woken up, but the drug is powerful. I see Gale smile as my eyelids are closing and then see his shirt, smell the woods on him and feel his lips as he presses them gently against my forehead. "Sleep Katniss." I hear him whisper. I can't say or do anything, and I can no longer fight the sleep and I give in. My mind conjuring up dreams of the kiss Gale and I shared, could have shared.

CHAPTER 7 PREVIEW

When I wake up, it seems Gale's switched sides but when I open my eyes to see the hand holder, it isn't Gale, it's Peeta, stretched out almost ready to fall out of his bed, talking and laughing quietly with Gale. Gale glances up and nudges Peeta with a smile, "He she's awake. I'm gonna go check on Haymitch." He slaps Peeta's arm, not hard, but not gentle and Peeta smiles. "Take it easy man, don't let her give you too much of a headache. I know she is one." Peeta laughs and Gale turns with a smile and lifts a hand as he walks away, "Talk to you later Baker."

"Yeah, we really need to finish this later man." Peeta calls with a mischievous grin. I stare at Peeta, unsure if this is him. Unsure if that knock to the back of the head messed with Peeta's memories someway that affects his relationship with Gale. Gale and Peeta, laughing and talking and having a conversation they enjoy, unthinkable. Peeta looks at me now that Gale's gone.

"What was that?" I ask him.

"Gale was just sharing some interesting things with me." He says grinning. Then it dims and he stares at my hand, "I heard about your death."-


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When I wake up, it seems Gale's switched sides but when I open my eyes to see the hand holder, it isn't Gale, it's Peeta, stretched out almost ready to fall out of his bed, talking and laughing quietly with Gale. Gale glances up and nudges Peeta with a smile, "He she's awake. I'm gonna go check on Haymitch." He slaps Peeta's arm, not hard, but not gentle and Peeta smiles. "Take it easy man, don't let her give you too much of a headache. I know she is one." Peeta laughs and Gale turns with a smile and lifts a hand as he walks away, "Talk to you later Baker."

"Yeah, we really need to finish this later man." Peeta calls with a mischievous grin. I stare at Peeta, unsure if this is him. Unsure if that knock to the back of the head messed with Peeta's memories someway that affects his relationship with Gale. Gale and Peeta, laughing and talking and having a conversation they enjoy, unthinkable. Peeta looks at me now that Gale's gone.

"What was that?" I ask him.

"Gale was just sharing some interesting things with me." He says grinning. Then it dims and he stares at my hand, "I heard about your death." I begin picking at the soft fabric of the hospital blanket.

"I wasn't dead for long," I lie.

Peeta sighs, "Please Katniss, no more lies." He says tiredly. "I know how long you were dead." I open my mouth to respond but then close it. Peeta with his free hand pulls his covers off of him and starts sitting up.

"Peeta, what are you doing?" I ask, my eyes widening as he slides off his leg, followed by his replaced leg.

"I don't like being far away from you," he says. He stands shakily and starts moving the short distance between us.

"Peeta! Lie back down before you hurt yourself!" I order watching him shake as he sits on my bed.

"I will," he says smiling as he leans back beside me. He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses the back of it softly, and then he looks up at the ceiling and is breathing a little heavy.

"Peeta, don't do that again," I say scowling at him. He chuckles with the breath he's gained back.

"I'd walk a thousand miles with a head injury to see that scowl."

"Peeta-" I grumble.

"Katniss, I missed you." I look at Peeta who is staring at me intensely. I wasn't exactly gone long enough to be missed, but it's Peeta, so I would expect hearing nothing less from him I guess. Wait, it's Peeta. I understand now.

"I missed you to Peeta, a lot." Peeta slips his arm under me and lets go of my hand and brushes a piece of hair away from my face and rests his hand on my cheek, and looks me in the eyes.

"You love me, real or not real?"

"Real," I say hiding the worry that his moments of clarity were slipping. Peeta leans in towards me and I don't lean away.

"Stay with me. Please don't ever die on me again," he whispers, then just as he's about to press his lips to mine we hear a loud cough.

"Ah Gale!" A high female voice whines. Octavia.

"Sorry," he says, though he doesn't seem it at all. Peeta and I look towards the door and find Gale, arms crossed standing by Haymitch who's holding a bottle and grinning, leaning against the door frame. Effie is standing behind them peeking out with the prep team huddled close together to get a good look. My mother stands looking away on the opposite side of Haymitch and Gale. My cheeks are burning by the time Haymitch comes in and is chuckling.

"So how did you two manage this?" He says gesturing at the two of us in the bed. We don't answer. "Gotten seductive have we sweetheart? Or has Breadboy hit his head so hard he has no more sense?" I feel my cheeks burn hotter.

"Shut up Haymitch." Peeta says scowling. I don't know why I was embarrassed. They've all seen our romance before, all of Panem has. I guess it's just this time this is to up close and too personal. How long had they been there exactly? And Gale… Effie moves past Haymitch taking the bottle from his hands as she comes to the right side of my bed.

"Hey!" Haymitch cries in protest. Effie gives him a stern pointed look then smiles down at me and takes my hand gently but still rough enough to show she's excited about something.

"I just wanted to be the second to say happy birthday Katniss!" I look at Effie eyes wide.

"Actually Effie, you're the first," Peeta says a little sad.

Effie's smile dims, "But Peeta, surely you-"

"I forgot," he states.

I lean over and whisper so only he could hear, "Thanks."

He shakes his head, "Katniss, I had it set in my mind not to forget." He frowns, "When's mine?"

"October 12," I say mirroring his frown.

"Oh, right." He looks at me and smiles. "Happy birthday Katniss." His eyes glance around and he leans in and kisses my cheek and whispers, "I have a real present for you later."

Effie lets go of my hand and moves to the door and pokes her head out. When she leans back in she moves out of the way for two doctors who are wheeling in a cart of gifts. They put the cart according to Effie's direction on the other side of Peeta's bed then are dismissed. Effie bounces over to the cart and picks up a pink bag and leaving the liquor bottle on the cart, brings it to me and sets it on my legs.

"Here's my gift Katniss!"

"You didn't have to get me anything," I mumble.

"Don't be so modest."

"Honest, you really didn't!"

"Katniss," Peeta says in my ear. "Just take them and be happy."

I sigh, "Help me open them?" He nods and takes hold of the bag and leans it towards me and I reach and pull out the pink paper. Inside I pull out some black shiny leather boots.

"Well, what do you think? I thought these would be perfect for you. Now you can go hunting in style!" I stare at the boots that looked longer than my arm and were in no shape or form hunting boots.

I smile, "Thanks Effie. These are great. I can really use these." One glance at Gale and I can see him smirking. The prep team all crowd around the cart and grab their gifts.

"Open mine first!" Flavius says handing me a gold wrapped box. I take it and undo the paper then take off the lid of a black velvet box and pull out a brush. But not just any, the whole brush looks as if it's a burning ember. A fire long died and nearly gone out trapped in the brush with kept alive by the coals. It has a glow to it and when you move it, it looks like the embers suddenly begin spitting sparks. "Flick it." Flavius commands. I look up at him like he had just told me to stand up right now. "Go on, flick it." I look at the brush in my hand and then give it a flick. The whole brushes scheme changes in my hand. It's caught on fire and now it seems like I'm holding flames contained within the brush. I stare at the brush in shock. "Turn it over." I turn it over and on the back my mockingjay pin appears shimmering and flickering in the flames. "Do you like it?"

I don't dare look away from the brush, "Yes, it's beautiful Flavius, thank you."

"I designed it. I call it Flames of the Mockingjay. It'll be all the rage soon in the Capitol when I release it. I wanted you to have the first, sense it was inspired by you."

"Thank you," I say again, looking up and smiling.

He smiles, "Now blow on it." I do and the fire disappears, replaced by the coals and embers again. The mockingjay pin is still there, though barely able to see in the darkness of the brush.

"Open mine next!" Octavia says setting a lavender bag on my lap. Peeta takes away what I've opened already and sets them beside the bed. I take the bag and pull the paper outside to uncover-

"Octavia, is that?" Peeta snickers beside me and I scowl at him.

"Yes." she says bubbly.

"What is it Catnip?" Gale asks.

"Um..."

"Some clothes for Katniss during the summer." Peeta interjects with a chuckle. This time I elbow him.

"Oh?" Haymitch's eyebrows rise.

"Show us." Effie says.

I don't want to show these but I don't want to hurt Octavia's feelings either. Peeta reaches into the bag and pulls out the see through black tank top and holds it up for everyone. Everyone's staring and Octavia is smiling and I am dying of embarrassment as Peeta reaches back in and pulls out the matching underwear. Flavius, Venia and Effie begin to question Octavia on how she came across the clothes because apparently in the Capitol they were very popular, very hard to find and very expensive. Gale and Haymitch were both laughing. My mother had her hand covering her mouth trying to stifle her own laughter and Peeta watches me with a grin as he puts the clothes back in the bag and on the floor.

"Thanks Octavia," I mumble.

"You're welcome Katniss. A lot of my friends had suggested that, and they said Peeta would like it also." She says smiling really wide. That does it. Haymitch and Gale's laughter grow and I didn't think my face could burn any hotter with embarrassment.

"Haymitch!" Effie cries, breaking away from her conversation with Flavius and Venia. She hits his arm, "Manners!" Haymitch struggles to stop laughing and become serious again. My mother has kept her laughter inside but could not contain the wide smile on her face.

"Do you Peeta? Do you like them?" Octavia asks.

Peeta grinning nods, "Very much, I can't wait to see Katniss in them." That seems to sober Gale up.

"I'm so happy you both like them."

"Open mine now," Venia says placing a deep red box on my lap. I look at it a little wary, not trusting anymore of these Capitol gifts. Peeta picks it up and opens it and that huge grin he had is gone as he stares into the box.

"Katniss," he breathes as he reaches in and pulls out a green rectangular frame.

"What? Let me see," I say and take the frame out of his hands. My throat immediately tightens. It's a picture of Prim hugging my waist and smiling. I'm hugging her back around her shoulders. This picture must have been taken around the time of the Victory Tour because I'm all bundled up, wearing my mockingjay pin and camera ready. Prim's hare is in two braids, she's wearing a light blue shire that is tucked into a black skirt. A tear splatters onto the glass because I've noticed, her shirt in the back, has come untucked.

"Katniss, there's two more." Peeta says gently and lays a golden picture frame on top of the one in my hands, blocking Prim's smiling face and replacing her with a man I had considered a really good friend. In this photo, I'm wearing the dress Cinna made me for the big party in Snow's mansion on the Victory Tour. I'm hugging Cinna's neck and laughing as Cinna one arm hugs me and kisses my cheek. I can just see Peeta in the corner of the picture, but I know it's him. The next picture Peeta places in front of me is a picture of Cinna and the prep team smiling.

"Cinna had us all take that during you Games, he wrote on the back of it," Venia says. I turn the frame over and take the picture out and look at the back. And all it said was "Remember, girl on fire. I'm still betting on you." I slipped the picture back in its frame as tears fell.

"Well, the party seems to be going just fine, you aren't supposed to make the birthday girl cry. What have you done now Haymitch?" I look up and see Plutarch enter with something in his arms. Peeta takes the pictures gently rom me and set them carefully in the box.

"I have a bone to pick with you Plutarch," Peeta says.

"Later Peeta. Now to reveal my present. We recovered it from Snow's mansion and I thought you might like it back." He holds up what was in his arms and it's a long bag. He unzips it and I gasp.

"Is that my-?"

"Your Mockingjay wedding dress, yes." He zips it back up and lays it on Peeta's bed carefully. "Now that I've shared my gift, Haymitch, what did you get Katniss?"

"Nothing."

"Haymitch!" Effie cries.

"What?" he asks.

"You need to get her something!"

"No I don't. I gave her plenty in both arenas, didn't I sweetheart?"

"Yes you do need to get her something," Effie says placing her hands on her hips.

"Fine," he growls. "I will back in Twelve." He looks around and spots his abandoned liquor bottle and slinks off towards it. He grabs it and looks at the cart then back at Gale. "Gale what did you get her?" He asks taking a drink. Effie walks over to Haymitch and takes hold of the bottle and slaps Haymitch's hand.

"Outside, now mister." Effie tells him. He shrugs and walks out the door with Effie following him.

Gale seeing that the cart is now clear of drunks and crazy Effies, goes to the cart and picks up a rough sack looking bag. Gale's game bag. He hands it off to Peeta.

"Happy birthday Catnip," Gale says quietly with a smile. Peeta opens the bag.

"What is that?" he asks me. I peek inside the bag. There's wood and string and knifes and other things.

"Gale, is this all your hunting gear?" I ask looking up.

He nods, "I figured since I'm not going to be hunting in Twelve anymore, you could use it." My heart sinks.

"So you aren't going to come back to Twelve, ever?"

"Maybe occasionally. I figure though you can keep the gear in working condition and when I do come back, I can barrow it from you."

"What about Two? Wouldn't you need stuff to hunt there?"

"No. Two doesn't exactly have the best hunting grounds." I look at the bag hesitantly, and then I look back up at Gale.

"Thanks Gale, I'll keep it in great shape."

"I know you will Catnip."

I see my mother go to the cart and pick up a tiny white package. She brings it to me and hands it to me.

"This is from Prim and me." I stare at her. Peeta starts to reach for the package but I shake my head.

"I'll open it."

I tear off the wrapping and open the tiny box and inside are three things; a piece of paper, a card and a primrose. I take out the card and it has a smiling Prim on it and all her information beside it. How old she is, where she lives, her date of birth, etc. But beside her name there were an added two letters, Dr. I pick up the note and it's all in Prim's handwriting except for half of a muddy paw mark at the bottom. I look up.

"Thank you all for your wonderful gifts but if you don't mind I'd like to be alone for a little bit." They all nod and begin to shuffle out. Peeta starts to get up but I put a hand on his leg. "Stay," I whisper. He doesn't need any more words to convince him as he takes my hand. I take a deep breath as I begin to read Prim's letter.

_Dear Katniss, Look at what I got! Aren't you proud of me? I'm a doctor now! Mom and I have been swamped with wounded and sick, I'm always afraid at some point one will be you or Gale or Peeta. How is Peeta? Is he any better? Don't worry Katniss, you'll find a way to get through to him. Haymitch is drinking as usual and he's very upset Coin sent Peeta out there to join you. Johanna isn't liking the fact she can't go into combat and is having to stay in lockdown because of her anger. Coin tells me you aren't supposed to see combat and I hope it stays that way. I'm not told or shown much, mostly because I'm being worked around the clock, but I think there's a lot more to it. Coin gave me that ID two days ago and she told me I was going to the Capitol today. I decided I'm going to send it to you when I get back so I don't lose it. I'm writing from the hovercraft, we're about to land so I have to go. I love you Katniss, me Mom and Buttercup all miss you. Be safe. Love Your Little Duck, Prim P. S. I had Buttercup sign this before I left. _

There were no stopping the tears that flowed freely down my face; I was holding the very last thing Prim's very tiny capable live saving hands wrote, before she was killed. I was on her mind all the way from District 13 to the Capitol, and I was the last person she saw. My name was the last thing that crossed her lips. Not only would she still be alive if I had gotten to her sooner, but if I would have been there to tell Coin no, she can't go. But I avenged Prim, mostly, by killing Coin. The only one left to kill to completely avenge my sister, is Hustler, son and mutt of Snow, and right now, I feel fit enough to take on a whole pack of Careers. That is until I felt that burst of energy and hate leave me and my head felt suddenly heavy and lolled to the side and my eyes rolled up into my head. My fingers let go of the letter and I heard the loud long beep of the monitor before consciousness left me.

*CHAPTER 8 SNEAK PEEK*

I woke up surrounded by Capitol doctors, except one which was my mother. I felt things in my nose and I reached up to take it out but my mother caught my hand and laid it gently back down. I look around slowly and see Peeta through the bodies sitting on his bed, his hands cuffed in front of him, with two Peacekeepers on each side of him.


End file.
